One Lie tells a thousand stories
by Karma1987
Summary: An entire retelling of The Tribe with Bray thinking that Trudy's baby is his own it starts from episode 3 and continues on. It's going to be a long un
1. Chapter 1

1

Carefully she felt the ladder for the next rung, she couldn't look down for the protrusion of her stomach, and she couldn't turn, her arms were already at their fullest extension, so that she didn't bump her stomach on the rusted metal. She smiled slightly as she felt his familiar hands gently rest on her back preventing her from falling and hurting herself. Her foot reached the concrete below and she carefully lowered the rest of herself down. She turned in his arms and smiled; carefully he brushed a strand of her greasy purple hair out of her eyes and kissed her forehead.

"It will be ok" he reassured her one of his hands slid round from her back coming to rest on her bulging stomach. "We'll be fine."

Slowly he led her through the dark, dank tunnels, she held her nose. Her nose was too sensitive for this type of atrocious smell and she didn't think appearing covered in sick would endear her to the people Bray had managed to convince to let them stay.

Slowly he pushed open the door and smiled at her in that caring way he had, she squeezed his hand and they slipped inside. The mall was deserted, she'd been to this mall before, one of those places you could find weird and wacky things. One of the few which hadn't gone under after the opening of the two mega malls, but that was ancient history now. It had never been a busy place but now it had the eerie quality that was present on the street, the gloom and coldness that their world had been plunged into. It was so silent that their boots echoed on the stone floor. Bewildered she let Bray lead her onto some stairs, towards some noise. Bray let go of her hand and he indicated for her to sit and rest. She sat down resting her head against the cold railing, her eyelids heavy from lack of sleep.

Bray moved up the last few steps and glanced back at Trudy who was concealed further down the steps.

"What the hell!" was the response he got as he turned to the tribe before him. The long black haired boy stared at him in shock, before twisting his face into a sneer "Came crawling back"

Bray ignored him and stared directly at the blond girl in front of him, she returned his gaze with cold hard stare.

"We should talk?" Bray said simply. Her eyes narrowed slightly and her left hand floated down from her hair to fold with her right. "Fire away" she said curtly. Bray glanced back at the staircase.

"I want to show you something" he said nodding backwards. "Please Amber" Amber rolled her eyes and rose from her seat. Lex protesting followed her, along with most of the Tribe curious about Bray's big secret.

Amber stepped down the last step and rested against the railing. Her eyes were fixed on the purple haired girl's bump. She flicked her eyes onto Bray. He smiled and sat down next to Trudy, who appeared to be asleep.

"You have got to be kidding me?" Lex shouted and the mall erupted into arguing.

Trudy clenched her eyes shut, as if doing so would block out the noise that disturbed her thoughts. She huffed heavily as she felt the familiar tightening again. She'd been having these pains for weeks, Bray said they were practice ones. Though now they were more frequent, and often more painful. She sighed as the pain subsided and shifted slightly. As she did, she felt a small trickle from between her legs. Her eyes opened and she stared bewildered at the surrounding teens that were staring goggle eyed at her like she was an animal in a zoo. She shifted and the trickle turned into a torrent. Her mouth dropped open followed by the mouths of most of the people surrounding her.

Bray beamed at her, and kissed her quickly, before focussing his gaze on Amber, Pleading to her with his deep eyes.

"You can't throw her out, not now, not while she's about to have our baby"

Amber glanced at Lex before nodding. She reached forward to help a shocked Trudy to her feet. Lex stepped forward, swiping her arm to one side.

"No way"

"Tough" Amber hissed reaching out again.

"I SAID NO WAY" Lex bellowed. Amber turned and slammed her foot into Lex's shin. His leg buckled and his yelped in pain. Amber smiled slightly and reached out to help take Trudy up the stairs.

Bray attempted to lead her up the stairs but she froze.

"Come on Trude" he coaxed her "We can stay, come on", He frowned as a look of panic and terror transferred from Trudy's wide eyes to the whole of her face.

"Bray the baby's coming" she whispered.

"I know silly" he leant forward kissing her but she squeezed his hands, indicating she wasn't finished.

"No it's coming now" her voice was high and squeaky, and the ow syllable lasted turning into a squeal. Amber looked at the girl concerned and then dropped to her knees, catching the baby girl as it slipped out from its mother's legs.


	2. Chapter 2

Bray carefully pushed back the covers and moved over to the small cot. They had been at the mall for a week now and he couldn't stop himself from stealing looks at his tiny baby daughter.

"Don't you dare wake her up" came the grumpy voice of Trudy, he pulled a sheepish face and turned back to the bed. Trudy opened one of her eyes.

"I thought you were asleep" Bray told her.

Trudy sighed "I was until you moved big butt out of the bed" Bray cracked a smile and moved back to the bed; Trudy moved and snuggled her head up against his chest.

"I thought you liked my butt" Bray teased stroking her hair gently.

"Yeah but not when it wakes me up. You and her are always waking me up. I'm a grumpy mare if I don't get my sleep" Trudy told him, she closed eyes, fully prepared to go back to sleep.

"We should name her" Bray said looking over at the crib.

"Now?" Trudy whined half asleep

"We can't keep calling her… her" Bray pointed out, he smiled as the baby began to whimper. Trudy groaned and screwed her face into a grimace. Bray removed her head from his chest and got up moving to the crib. Gently he picked the baby up bringing her to his chest. The baby ceased its whimpering and nestled its head into the side of Bray's neck.

"I was thinking of Grace" Bray said stroking his little girl's back. Trudy's eyes opened like a shot and she pulled herself up into the sitting position, her mouth dropping open in shock. "After your mother?" Bray nodded "No way! She hated me. Besides I thought we agreed either Aine or Hope"

"Don't you think that Hope is a bit clichéd, considering the situation we're in" Bray opined sitting back on the bed.

"Screwed you mean" Trudy snipped crossing her arms over her body.

"Trudy come on"

"We are not naming the baby after your mother" Trudy sniped

"How about if we call her Aine-Grace. That way I get my way and you get your way coz we'll probably just end up calling her Aine anyway" Bray looked at Trudy. Trudy nodded and pushed herself back under the covers.

"Fine, but put Aine back to bed I want to get some sleep"

Bray sighed and moved his daughter down so he could look down at her little face. "That ok little one?" he leant forward kissing her forehead "Let's get you to bed so mummy can get some sleep"

"Yes Lets" Trudy sarcastically sniped. Bray sighed and moved to the cot placing Aine-Grace inside and sitting down beside it. Softly he reached inside and stroked his daughter's stomach until she to was sleeping peacefully

---

As the morning turned to afternoon Bray slipped out of the mall. Careful not to be seen by the wandering Tribe he skated his way across sector 8 and 7 towards a place he knew so well. When he reached it he slipped his skateboard inside of his bag. Grabbing hold of one of the plant covered railings he hauled himself up. He dropped down onto the other side, careful not to impale himself on the sharp spikes at the top of the railings. He quickly made his way through the overgrown land. Not really wanting to stay here any longer then he needed to. But he felt he should do this, just to let them know.

When he reached them he had to fight back tears he sat on the corner stone of a grave, his grandfather's. Before him lay the two freshest graves; He was almost thankful his parents had been some of the first adults to die. It meant they got their own grave, rather then sharing one of the mass one with countless others, in the numberless Sector X.

"Hey mum hey Dad" he said addressing the gravestones "You probably know this but I wanted to tell you. Trudy had the baby, your grandparent's. She's a little girl. Looks like Jessica did when she was a baby. We called her Aine-Grace. Grace after you mum. I'm going to be a good Dad take care of them real good, just like you did Dad. I'm going to make you proud"

---

Salene frowned as she heard an anguished scream coming from the newcomers' bedroom. She made her way to it and knocked on the side of the doorframe. Hearing no answer except for the angry screams of the baby she pulled the screen that acted as a door to one side.

Trudy was dancing around into the middle of the room, repeating the word "Gross" over and over again.

"Are you ok?" Salene asked, walking into the bedroom and noticing that the baby was lying naked on the side.

"No" Trudy bellowed throwing her top to one side of the room. "She did a poo, so I picked her up to change her, and then she threw up on me. And I thought I'd change her and then change me. And then I'm changing her and she pees on me and poos on me, it's gone everywhere"

Salene resisted the urge to smile and crossed over to the makeshift change table. "How bout I deal with the Aine-Grace and you sort yourself out"

Trudy smiled appreciatively. She scurried over to another screen taking a clean top with her and disappeared behind her.

"It's just Aine you know"

"Bray said it was Aine-Grace" Salene called changing the baby's nappy. And looking round for a clean baby grow. Trudy appeared from behind the screen. She pointed at a basket nearby and Salene fished out a pink suit and began dressing the baby. Trudy at on her bed, leaning back against one of the overstuffed pillow.

"Bray wanted to name the baby after his mother. We never got on. I agreed but only coz I knew it would get shortened to Aine."

"Or AG" Salene added. She finished dressing the baby and turned back to Trudy holding her out. Trudy looked perplexed for a moment and then smiled sweetly.

"Can I ask you a huge favour?" Salene looked unsure before nodding Trudy beamed "Bray's gone out somewhere, and I this place really needs tidying up, it's a tip" Salene looked around the bedroom, noting all the dirty baby clothes "Could you be a doll and watch the baby for me while I get some stuff done. I come get her as soon as Bray's done"

"Sure" Salene said good naturedly "I'll get Patsy and Cloe to come help they're running up the walls at the minute" Trudy's eyes widened slightly and she bit her lip.

"Don't worry about them. Bray is as messy as a tramp, I'd hate for them to find a pair of his underwear"

Salene laughed and nodded collecting up a few baby bits and leaving the bedroom, closing the screen after her. Trudy sighed and lay back against one of the pillows.

"Peace at last" she whispered to herself.

----

Bray turned to leave and nearly jumped out of his skin, behind him stood a boy, roughly the same age as him. The boy looked so odd, most drifters wore muted coloured clothes; so they could blend in with the scenery and not get caught. This boy however was wearing probably the brightest outfit there was.

"I don't have anything" Bray told him. The other boy smiled,

"Don't need anything, you got a tribe?"

"Why?" Bray asked warily. The other boy shrugged and tugged down his hat, if you could call it a hat. "Just there is a bunch of mean looking guys by the wall where you came in, thought they might be waiting for you" Bray looked beyond the boy and froze. Demon Dogs were standing at the gate, fighting with each other and comparing sizes of clippers that they could use to cut the chain.

"Demon Dogs" Bray hissed, the other boy nodded. Bray grabbed him and pulled him in the opposite direction. They both started running, Bray turned to the other boy who was making a curious noise, it was then he realised that the guy's bag was in fact drums that were banging against each other.

"You have got to be kidding me" Bray moaned at the mystery guys, hauling him over the wall.

----

Amber stopped reading the back sleeve of a CD case. Slowly she put the CD back on the pile and walked out of the Record shop. Bray was walking into the mall looking flustered; alongside him was the reason for the strange noise that had distracted her. She stared at the new boy who was walking with a slight skip in his step, making his plethora of instruments bounce and clang against each other. Bray looked up at Amber with a sigh of relief.

"He-er- gave me the heads up on a bunch of Demon Dogs, it was the least I could do" he shot a tired look at his bouncing companion.

Amber smiled uncertainly at the new boy. "I'm Amber" She told him crossing her arms across her body. The odd boy smiled at her and leant forward in a form of Bow.

"Sasha"


	3. Chapter 3

Amber walked into the café, and smiled pleasantly at the group before her who sat shovelling food into their mouths as fast as they could as if it was the last meal the could possibly have; which in reality it could well be. She picked up one of the empty plates which had been sitting on the café table since a meal from sometime during the past week. The little ones and Salene turned to look at her. Forcing her smile into the sweetest most saccharine position it could be in, she dropped the plate, so that it smashed to the floor. The Tribe turned to look at her in shock, while Lex with a sneer on his face whispered to Ryan "Look like she's lost it"

Amber smiled at everyone and brought what she was holding from behind her back.

"What's that?" Jack asked flicking his lenses down to take a closer look.

"A rota" Amber stated simply "I'm sick of living in a pig sty" She shot a pointed look at Trudy and Bray, whose bedroom was notoriously messy "So I made a rota, a fair division of the chores"

The was mutual groans as the word Chores left her lips but Amber simply looked knowingly at them and moved over to the wall sticking it up for all to see "It's either that or letting the Rats and the virus get us" The little ones sat up and she watched as Patsy who made some hurried signs to Paul. Paul then began to collect the empty plates around him, stacking them neatly.

"Um Amber" Jack called raising his hand to get her attention "Me and Dal we have some idea for projects"

"We do?" Dal asked sending a confused look at Jack, he was reward by a quick kick in the shins "Oh yeah we do, the tank"

"The tank?" Jack queried him

"Yeah water tank" Dal told him and Amber nodding to prove his point.

"Yeah" Jack joined in "the water tank"

Amber sighed, "Fine but you still do night duty though. I'll take Dal's chores, and the little ones can share Jack's" She spun round to the sounds of plaintive groans from the little ones and marched off down the steps in search for a broom.

-----

Dal followed Jack down to the Hardware shop. Jack scurried in and jumped onto his stool.

"We need to do it you know. I know what Amber can be like" Dal told him walking in a drawing the curtain door.

"OK genius what do you propose. The water tank you said, what should we do to that oh great one."

"Maybe we could increase the capacity" Dal mused sitting down in Jack's battered director's chair "Yes of course lets just open the tank and make it wider good thinking" Jack snipped fiddling with the knobs on his radio.

"Well what do you suggest then?" Dal quizzed the red haired boy. Jack sat up and switched the radio off, he pursed his lips and clicked is fingers trying to come up with an idea which would greatly out do Dal's pathetic attempt. He clicked his finger a final time and beamed at his curly haired companion.

"Guttering"

"Guttering?" Dal asked him, not quite able to fathom what Jack was talking about.

"It's our primary source of water, right? So we need to get as many pieces of guttering into the tank as possible to maximise the amount of water we have. There!" He reached down into his draw and pulled out a bottle of Coke which he'd obviously hidden from Amber during the food collection.

"Here's to good ideas" Jack called happily pouring two glasses and passing one to Dal.

-----

Having completed her own chores Amber moved on to Dal's. Slowly and methodically she moved around the lower floor wiping the layer of dust and grime of the windows which were still intact. Some of them were smashed, broken during the period of Looting in the early days of Marshall Law. Upon reaching the music shop she found the new boy seated on his bed in the corner staring up at the piano in wonder.

"Done your chores?" She asked lowering her duster. He nodded and resumed staring at the piano in wonder. "Can you play?" Amber asked trying to break him out of his trance. Sasha nodded and rose from his bed moving over to the wooden instrument and sitting down dramatically on the stool. He shifted along slightly and patted the space beside him, indicating to her he wanted her to sit down. She did and he straightened out his fingers. They hovered momentarily above the ivories before he placed them onto the keys and started to play a simple lilting melody.

Amber watched somewhat in awe as his fingers moved up and down the keyboard. She'd almost forgotten what music sounded like, where once she would have spent hours entrenched in her room listening to the radio or CDs now she had barely enough time to sit and relax let alone listen to music. As quickly as he'd started Sasha removed his hands from the keys. Amber looked up at him to tell him how beautiful it had sounded but the words remained in her throat as she realised he was crying. "What's wrong?" She asked unsure why he had started to cry for no apparent reason.

"I haven't played one for so long, I never thought I would ever again. It's weird" Sasha told her wiping his eyes with the corner of his sleeve.

"Well you can play it as much as you like" Amber told him she flicked her eyes to the doorway as the sound of Baby Aine filled the mall "As long as you don't wake up the baby" They smiled uneasily at each other and she rose from her seat. "I better be getting on"

"Don't be a stranger" Sasha called to her retreating form as he began to play another melody.

-----

Zandra stomped into the café and threw her hand cream onto the table.

"Problem?" Lex asked uninterested from behind his comic book. Zandra began lathering her hand in the cream.

"Amber" She spat "My hands are like prunes, it's just not fair" Lex smirked, which caused Zandra to angrily throw her hand cream at him. Lex caught it deftly and squeezed out a small amount onto his hands.

"You're too stressed" He said approaching her. Zandra followed him, not really sure what he was about to do. He stepped behind her and with a dry finger worked the shoulder of her top down to reveal her bare skin. "You need a massage. Loosen you up a bit"

"That's hand cream, it's for your hand" She got up and began to walk towards the lingerie store that she called home "I have some Lavender and Juniper Berry oil in my room I'll get it"

Lex smirked again and rubbed his hands together. "Save your legs I'll come to you"

"What?" Zandra asked stopping and turning to look at him

"You know so you can lie down it will be better"

"And so that if we get carried away we don't get caught" Zandra snipped.

Lex made a crossing motion over his heart "Never even crossed my mind."


	4. Chapter 4

Cloe followed the sound of mooing, she'd been set the task of sweeping the floors by the sewers and the sound had emanated up through the open sewer door. Initially she'd thought it to be a monster or mutant but then the more she'd listened, the more it sounded like the animal she had watched so much on her Grandfather's farm on the South Island. She made her way to the sewer entrance and sure enough there was a muddy face of a baby cow. Cloe smiled

"Hello, where's your mummy?" She called up to the animal. She was answered with a moo and she climbed up the ladder, this time making sure the manhole was closed. The cow had moved off slightly but kept stopping every few meters and looking back at her with big brown baleful eyes. "Where's your mummy?" Cloe reiterated. She ran to catch up with the animal which already had a piece of muddy rope tied tightly around its neck. "Where you on a farm? Did you run away?" She gripped hold of the rope and tried to stop the animal from walking away, but it pulled her strongly away from the mall towards the surrounding woods.

----

Trudy walked into the bed shop and scowled as she watched Salene, Patsy and Paul surrounding Bray who had Aine on his lap. Bray looked up and smiled warmly at her.

"There you are, Sal had AG, she was squalling buckets, just telling Patsy and Paul all about how she looks like my cousin"

Trudy cocked her head to the side "We're calling her AG now?"

Bray smiled again "Salene came up with it, doesn't it sound cute"

"I like her real name, it's what I named her and she's my baby, so" she raised her eyebrows. Bray's smile dropped and he glanced down at Aine's face. "Maybe we should put her down, I think she might need a nap" He got up and walked towards Trudy grabbing hold of her elbow; Trudy shrugged him off and smiled sweetly at him. She leant forward kissing Aine and then looked up at him. "I'll be in, in a minute" Bray hesitated for a second casting a nervous look at Trudy and then at Salene. Trudy raised her eyebrows again and Bray scurried out. Paul looked curiously at the two older girls and then signed to his sister, indicating he through they should leave.

Trudy waited until the two younger children left taking the shaggy golden retriever with them. Trudy tightened her arms across herself and forced a smile. She was wearing normal clothes again, having almost lost all her baby weight. It made her feel and look older, what with her larger breasts.

"Are you trying to take me baby?" She asked Salene simply.

"No, you needed a hand. I was helping you out" Salene whined at her.

"It's just you change the clothes I put her in, Change her name"

"She gets stuff on her clothes I have to change them. It was just a suggestion and Bray liked it"

Salene tried to placate the young mother.

"Look I understand that you are trying to be helpful, but you have to understand that Aine is mine. Mine and Bray's she's our baby so I will call her what I want, and dress her how I like" Trudy told the red haired girl.

"You needed help; she gets sick do you want me to just leave her in sicky clothes?" Salene asked Trudy her anger rising.

"Look Salene, I appreciate that I may not be the best mother, but it's very difficult to succeed at being a good mother, when some little girl keeps taking my baby and hanging around with the father. If you want to play happy families play with the kids or get a doll. If you hadn't noticed we're in a really crappy situation everything takes time, and you're making it take longer. SO just stay away from Aine and Bray. Get it?" Trudy cocked her head to the left and waited for a seeming shocked Salene to respond. "I said did you get it?"

"Yeah I got it" Salene spat.

"Great, now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to **my** family" Trudy made an attempt to smile at Salene but it came out as more of a grimace and she stalked from the bed store.

Salene huffed heavily "Bitch" she called to the empty doorway. She picked up a cloth she'd been using to stop herself from getting sick on her clothes and threw it at the doorway "Stupid tart"

---

Amber looked up as she heard the sound of a person making an overdramatic shivering sound. Sasha finished shaking himself and sat in the chair opposite her.

"I think they pulled an all nighter" Sasha said diplomatically inclining his head towards the lingerie shop.

Amber pulled a face "Were they covered?" Sasha looked at her strangely "No it's just the first time they did I walked into the shop and was greeted by the pasty white moon that is Lex's arse"

Sasha grimaced "I was spared that wonderful view. Thankfully, I may have had to burn my eyes out if I'd seen that"

Amber nodded "That was one of my initial ideas. They really should be more considerate and use a shop which needed so much. Why were you in the lingerie shop?"

"They sell boxers" Sasha told her quickly "I don't do women's underwear, it's just there is only so many times you can turn them the wrong way round"

Amber pulled a laughing face of disgust. They stared in silence at each other for several minutes, listening to the yelling of the everyday life of the mall.

"So" Amber said as Sasha said "I"

"You go" Amber pointed at him

"I got you something, I remember what you, er said about Music and I found this. It's nothing amazing, but I shouldn't wake the baby" He reached into his pocket and handed her the small box. Amber looked at it and turned the handle so that the simple twanging tune played out. "It's Amazing Grace, One song I'm afraid" Sasha got out of his seat and nodded at her.

Amber finished turning the handle and looked at his departing figure. "Thanks Sasha," she sighed and began to turn the handle again, slowly a tear rolled down her face, it was the song they'd played at her mother's funeral. She shook herself and wiped her face. "No" she said to herself chastising herself for the moment of weakness. She'd promised herself she wasn't going to cry, not going to let her guard down. Her eyes wandered to the art shop were Sasha had gone into. She'd promised her she wouldn't let it down for anyone.


	5. Chapter 5

Salene sank down into a chair in the café and watched as Zandra and Amber continued with the counting tins of food within their meagre store. She cast an anxious look at the Home depot store where the baby's angry cries could be heard screaming out into the mall. Heavily Salene sighed. Amber looked up and noted the direction of the red haired girl's stare.

"If it bothers you so much, go help her"

Salene rolled her eyes "She won't let me"

"Are you two still fighting?" Amber said in disbelief, she'd had lengthy conversations with both the girls and Bray over Trudy's seeming ban of Salene from her baby all over a misnaming of little Aine-Grace. "It's been two weeks; I thought we agreed we would work it out"

"I tried" Salene whined "But I went in when Bray was there, and she wasn't very pleased that I interrupted them"

"I guess she's just trying to get as much time with him as she can" Zandra said trying to diffuse the situation "It can't be easy with him always running off. At least with Lex you don't have to chain him down"

Amber pulled a face and quickly began speaking less Zandra went into one of her mantras about how good Lex was "Bray doesn't keep 'running off' he's provisions man, he's searching for food"

"Well he's not getting much, does he!" Zandra whined pointing to their limited stock of food "All he ever seems to get is stuff for the baby. It's stupid we can't eat baby grows"

"He's excited over his daughter, you can't blame him, and he does better then Lex does" Amber pointed out. Zandra frowned at Amber for badmouthing her boyfriend, though she remained silent knowing that Amber was speaking the truth.

"She doesn't know what she's doing" Salene said miserably looking back over to the screen blocking the door, She leant forward over the table and rested her chin on her hands.

"Salene would you? Would any of us? I know you are probably better then her, but she has to practice. And it's not just her; Aine positively bellows when Bray has her, she's just going through a phase. Both of them are, they have to adjust" Amber told her trying to reason.

"Yeah but…" Salene started to whine.

"No buts" Amber interrupted her, turning back to the cupboard.

"I think Aine-Grace is a stupid name" Zandra mused "If I had a baby I call it something classy like Mackenzie or Courtney if it was a girl and something strong like Lex if it was a boy"

Amber pulled a face of pure disgust and rolled her eyes "Well let's be thankful you're not having a baby. Beans, 6 tins"

"Why not? Check" Zandra asked ticking the list "I could dress it in cute little clothes and stuff, having a baby would be so cool"

"I think you just answered your own question" Amber told her "Mint peas 2 tins, mint peas that's gross"

"They make your breathe smell nice" Zandra told her "We should have them tonight. Lex's breathe smells something chronic." Zandra looked over at Salene who was still staring at the door. "Don't worry Sal as soon as she can't hack it anymore, she'll come running back asking for help. Girls like that never last"

"Girls like what?" Amber asked taking the list off her and ticking the checklist herself.

Zandra sighed and got off the counter moving towards the tables and taking out her nail file. "You know self-centred, bossy, materialistic, immature. Oh my god my nails look totally awful. Amber you are going to have to change my duty; they can't keep taking this punishing"

Amber stared at her open mouthed and shook her head.

----

Cloe slowly walked down the railway tracks with Bluebell, ever since she had found her, she'd felt happy. Everyday when Patsy and Paul were busy and Salene was doing her chores she would sneak out and take the calf for a walk. Today the calf had dragged towards the railway yard and she just wasn't strong enough to stop it moving in the direction she wanted. They stopped by an old discarded fridge and Cloe opened her mouth to speak to her bovine friend, as she did she caught sight of two figures, moving between the abandoned trains. Thankfully Bluebell could tell it was a time for haste an d happily trotted into the bushes. Scared beyond reason, Cloe cowered up next to the matted coat of the calf. The two figures walked past and she almost screamed, she recognised one as the brutal, evil leader of the Locusts. The other, a man she trusted, a man who brought her food.

"She screams like anything" She heard Bray tell the leader "Probably outdo your siren"

"Nothing can outdo my siren man, it's my chariot" the leader boasted. "It instils fear in the scum, tells them who rules"

"You're full of it. What happens if someone tries to take your power?" Bray asked the leader.

"I kill him" came his simple answer.

Cloe gasped loudly and burst from her hiding place. Bluebell running along side her they took off in the opposite direction to the men.

Bray caught hold of Zoot as he made to take chase. "Leave her, I know her. I better go"

"You'll all heart bro. Well done on the baby, that kid is going to be so square with you as a dad"

The two brothers slapped each other on the back smiling warmly at each other. Bray nodded as a signal for goodbye and took after Cloe and her frightened calf.

----

Bray followed Cloe down an alleyway, despite the fact that the girl had hidden herself there was no where large enough to hide the calf and as a result it's black flank was clearly visible from the street. Slowly he made his way down the alleyway his boots clattering on the damp concrete, the animal picked up on his approach and began to nervously try to pull away from it's owner.

"Calm down Bluebell" he heard the frightened youngster beg. Bray placed a claming hand on the animal's flan, and it stopped moving. Slowly it turned it's head to look at him and leant out a low gently moo. "Why were you talking him?" Cloe asked from her hiding place, knowing that she was caught.

"I was telling him about his niece" Bray told her kneeling down beside the overturned dumpster in which she'd taken refuge.

"His niece, but that would mean that he was…" She stopped and looked at him her eyes widening with shock.

"Zoot is my brother" Bray told her. Cloe's mouth dropped open and she began to furiously stroke the cow "Look why don't we keep my brother a little secret from people say like Lex, and I won't mention your friend here to him. Lex is a full blown meat eater" He raised his eyebrows to prove his point. Cloe stared at him and then looked up at her calf and sighed.

"Hey Bray what are you doing here?" she asked him sweetly looking up at him innocently.


	6. Chapter 6

Loud bellows echoed around the mall, deep unnatural sounds. The occupants of the mall sat up their beds, frightened about what it could be. In this uncertain time they were used to only silence, at night except for the occasional burst of screaming from the baby. Even the Loco's dreaded siren was silenced at night. Amber quickly rose from her bed, many were already out of their rooms, Jack and Dal climbing the stairs not really wanting to be caught by whatever the creature was. She looked over to Trudy who had come out of the room, the baby held tightly in her arms.

"It will be ok" Amber told her half-heartedly. Bray exited from their bedroom, and gently guided her back into the room.

"It's ok," he told her as he sat her on the bed. "It's Cloe's cow" He smiled.

"A cow" Trudy laughed, and gently released her grip on Aine. Bray nodded his head.

"Just don't tell anyone. We have a mutual understanding." He looked at her pointedly before slightly raising his arms and crossing them. Trudy's eyes rewidened and she nodded.

"Bray!" He spun round to find Cloe who was quickly trying to put on her shoe. "Its Bluebell" She whispered hurriedly "I have to get to her, if Lex finds her. Can you keep them busy?"

Bray nodded towards the little girl and she scurried out of the room towards the backrooms so she could get through to the back staircase. Bray smiled warmly at Trudy and left the bedroom. Moving over to the top of the stairs he watched somewhat amused as Amber yelled at Lex to get his butt in gear and get out there.

"Do you think that's wise?" Bray asked sitting on a chair that Salene was a about to pick up and use in the barricade.

"What? We might be getting attacked" Amber pointed out.

"Yeah might be, No one knows we are here. If he goes gallivanting out he could drag everyone in here"

"I'm not an idiot" Lex spat at Bray rotating his weapon menacingly in his hand

"You could have fooled me. Think about it Amber, if we go looking for trouble, then trouble will find us. If we stay hidden we'll be fine"

"Chicken" Lex spat "Come on guys, we real men will deal with this"

"Lex, I have a baby in there" he pointed at the Home Depot store. "If there is a fight what happens to her"

"Should learn to wear something" Lex yelled back at him. Bray sent him a look of Daggers as Lex and the rest of the boys walked nervously down the staircase and towards the car park from where the noise had emanated from.

"He's going to get us all killed" Bray told Amber kicking the barricade and stomping off into his room.

-----

Trudy jumped out of her skin as Amber flung back the screen and stomped into the room.

"I suppose you thought that was funny?" Amber yelled at Bray who lay on the bed.

"Not particularly" he said simply.

"BRAY!" Amber bellowed, setting off Aine who Trudy had just got to sleep. Trudy whimpered slightly and picked up her daughter again. Amber shot an angry look at her, before turning back to Bray "The kids were terrified"

"I was keeping a promise" Bray told her, getting off the bed, and moving over to Trudy who was trying to quieten her daughter. Bray gently took Aine who had turned into an angry ball, screaming with all her might.

"What about keeping your promise to us Bray? You said you'd get us food, you aren't doing so good with that, too busy playing happy family"

"Amber" Trudy chastised her "Bray tries, it's hard"

"Look you two do nothing and take everything"

"I get food, it may not be much but there isn't that much around" Bray spat at her

"She does nothing" Amber yelled pointing at Trudy.

"You don't ask me to, there isn't anything on the rota, I take care of the baby" Trudy bleated

"Just start doing stuff, like tidy this pigsty. If you don't pull your weight your out" Amber yelled she kicked some of the discarded clothes on the floor and stomped from the room. Bray angrily thrust Aine into Trudy's arms, and lunged at a shelf causing a multitude of china plates and mugs to crash to the ground. Trudy backed against the counter, clutching Aine tightly. She knew that however much he protested it, Bray was just a fiery as his brother, just as temperamental. They both had that same streak that caused them to act out. The last thing she needed was another Zoot. Aine's sobs were so fierce they were silent but she managed to let out a new high pitched one, which seemed to jerk her father out of his rage. He slumped to the floor onto the broken shards he bleeding hands supporting his head.

"Bray?" Trudy whispered carefully,

"Just leave it Trudy, Just leave it" he whispered barely audible. Trudy took her eyes off him and looked down at her baby daughter in her arms, her little fists were clenched tight, her skin bright red. It seemed that her daughter also had the temperamental streak from her father's side.

-----

Salene sat in the chair opposite Amber. The blonde leader's eyes were fixed on Trudy who despite it being the middle of the night was sweeping out her room. It seemed that some how one of the shelves had fallen, which meant that the purple haired mother was brushing a great quantity of broken shards into the walkway. She kept sending nervous glances at Amber, trying to make the girl smile but Amber only stared at her stonily. Salene coughed and Amber turned to look at her,

"Did you manage to calm them down?"

"Patsy and Paul, but Cloe is inconsolable she thinks Lex is going to eat the cow" Salene said sagely, Amber shrugged and returned to staring at Trudy who was now on her knees carefully placing the broken shards in a black plastic bag. "She told me why Bray didn't say anything. He was just trying to protect her, from people like Lex. I guess he figured that she'd been through enough the last thing she needed was watching her pet being eaten"

"Don't try and stand up for him" Amber spat at Salene.

"I'm not, I'm trying to explain. OK he lied to you, but he was protecting Cloe. Everyone is Human Amber; he put the needs of a frightened little girl over Lex's stomach. Lighten up, it's not that big a deal"

Amber slowly rose from her sear her eyes widening "Not that big a deal, so he'd lies about a cow, what next about were the food comes from"

Salene made a hissing noise and stood up "Grow up Amber, you're not everyone's mother start trying to be with the group rather then ruling the group, we don't want a dictator. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go sleep." Salene turned, showing Amber that she had finished with the conversation. Amber sat fuming by herself for several minutes before slowly rising from her seat and crossing to the young mother, who was still on her knees placing broken pottery in the bag.

"Are you ok?" Amber asked genuinely concerned as she noticed the dried tears on the young girl's face.

"It hasn't been the best night" Trudy told her diplomatically. Amber smiled weakly at her and picked up a shard, carefully placing it in the bag. She looked up as the baby started wailing from inside the room. Both girls turned to look, but upon seeing no movement from Bray they both sighed.

Amber took the shard that Trudy was holding. "You go I'll finish" Trudy smiled at her weakly and ran into the bedroom. Amber finished putting the broken pottery into the bag and sealed it. As she turned to take it towards the rubbish heap she jumped almost dropping the bag. Sasha stood silently in the position that had been behind her. Silently he stepped forward taking much of the weight from the straining bag and smiled at her. Silently she let him take entire bag and he bowed his head silently to her, turning and disappearing into the darkness of the mall.


	7. Chapter 7

Cloe quickly ran across the wet railway lines. She'd watched Lex haul the cow off and then let it loose on the lines and now she was off to find it. Her small back pack bounced up and down on her back. She was wearing her good shoes and a weather mac, in her backpack she had the three things that meant the most to her, her good luck charms, A photo of her mother, her father's watch and her Grandfather's glasses, along with a tomato, chocolate bar and a hunk of bread. There was a small canteen of water bouncing by her left thigh. She didn't know how long she would be out, but she hoped it wouldn't be long, maybe a day or two at the most, Bluebell couldn't have got that far.

-----

"CLOE" Patsy yelled, she was wandering round all the empty shops looking for Cloe, just as Salene had suggested. When Cloe hadn't come into the furniture store last night, Salene had told them that she probably wanted alone time, as she was upset over the calf. They'd expected to see her the next morning at breakfast, shooting daggers at Lex. But she hadn't shown. Not only was Patsy beginning to get worried about her friend, she also wanted to tell her that Paul had discretely spat in Lex's food, though the bully hadn't seemed to notice, which had been disappointing but they'd had a good laugh.

"CLOE" she yelled again,

"Patsy" Salene called the girl coming up behind her. "No luck?"

Miserably Patsy shook her head; she'd been with Cloe almost everyday, since the younger girl had warned them about a fire in the early days of the virus. They'd been together ever since, Cloe was always rescuing them, she found Salene, and she found Amber, which had led them here.

"She's not here" Patsy bleated, "Where is she Salene?"

"I don't know" Salene told her truthfully, She stepped forward and placed her arm around Patsy gently squeezing the girls shoulder to reassure her "We better go tell Amber, I think she may have gone after Bluebell"

-----

Cloe woke up coughing, she'd spent her first night in the open in weeks, and the summer that had helped spread the virus was long gone, replaced with heavy autumn showers. The spot she had chosen had seemed dry, a small hole in a thick bush, but it hadn't been that good, she was sodden through, especially her feet, her good shoes turning out to be not so good, she opened her pack and pulled out the hunk of bread, taking a small bite and placed it back. She didn't know how long she would be out here, the woods were large, and she hadn't seen one trace of her beloved calf.

----

The rest of the Tribe listened patiently to Salene as she told everyone her surmission about where the young girl had vanished to. The remaining young ones were staring angrily at Lex, who was simply sneering.

"Well Lex, which way did the calf go?" Amber asked him coolly.

He shrugged "Dunno ran off, I fell over, was too busy cursing the brat to care about the darn calf"

"You're all heart" Amber snipped at him "You have to have some clue, I mean did it go Left or right, that would be a start"

He shrugged again, returning to his well thumbed comic book. "Lex you are useless, worse then useless"

"What do I care about some dumb kid, she went after the stupid animal then that's her beef" he smirked to himself over his joke "I don't know why we are bothering its one less mouth to feed"

"LEX" Amber and Salene screeched at him at the same time.

"Well it is" Lex moaned "Besides, the kid is probably dead. Locos are probably eating her as well as the dumb animal" Patsy screamed and ran away from the café closely followed her brother and Salene. Bray leapt from his seat and hauled Lex out of his slamming the shorter boy into the wall

"You think it's funny, huh? She's a kid a little kid" Bray screamed at Lex, pushing him back against the wall. Amber sighed wanting Lex to suffer but not wanting to deal with a blood bath.

"Bray leave it" Trudy yelled at her partner "Please, it's not worth it, he's not worth"

Amber looked at the young mother surprised, but Bray did as she asked, slowly letting Lex away from the wall but shoved him to prove his point. "You're dirt" Bray hissed at him.

Lex snorted and straightened his top "you guys are wooses, it's just a dumb kid and a walking burger bar"

Amber cleared her throat "One more word from you Lex and I'll put you in the cage" Lex turned to her and opened his mouth to speak, but Amber walked forward and picked up his weapon which he had carelessly left on one of the tables "Try me Lex, you just try me" Lex gulped and simply deepened his scowl stomping off towards his room. Amber turned and handed Lex's weapon to a shocked looking Zandra "I think we all need to calm down" she said before almost running off into her room.

-----

Trudy stepped into the furniture shop, she could see trying to calm Patsy and Paul, though was failing as Paul became more a more frustrated, his speaking voice becoming unintelligible and his signs becoming more and more frantic.

"Hey" she said gently stepping further into the room, the trio turned to look at her. "Um- Aine is missing Cloe and wondered if you would play with her" Patsy smiled and climbed off the bed, Trudy carefully handed over and daughter. Paul joined his sister and they moved over to the sofa, and began pulling faces at the baby. Trudy smiled and looked over at Salene who was leaning against the bed.

"She'll be ok" Trudy whispered, careful that the kids wouldn't hear them, she held out her hand so that Salene could rise and sit on the bed.

"Aine misses Cloe?" Salene asked the young mother incredulously.

"I thought she might distract them, take their minds off things, so no my daughter not miss Cloe, I don't even think she'd knows who she is" Trudy smiled half heartedly.

"Thanks" Salene told her

"Thanks about the other night, I saw you spoke to her, I can't imagine being out there, not with Aine so small, I mean she's only 3 months old, it would be so scary out there; I can barely cope in here" She sighed "I'm sorry that I was so, horrible to you, I was just hormonal I guess, it's no excuse, and you can come see Aine whenever you want"

"Thanks" Salene told her;

Trudy cautiously placed her arm around Salene's shoulder, "Cloe will come back, as soon she's hungry, she'll come back"

They looked up as Patsy let out a squeal of laughter "She smiled" the young girl informed them.

"That's great" Salene told her smiling at the people in the room.

----

Cloe turned and screamed, she was lost in the woods, the dark was coming in, and new shapes and sounds filled the air. She turned and ran in a new direction. Her arms across her eyes, to shield them from the whipping branches. She screamed as her foot didn't find ground. A pair of arms wrapped around her, Cloe opened her eyes her body half out over a ledge which plummeted down to a raging river, swollen by the rain below. She was pulled back in by the arms. Her rescuer pulled her in close.

"It's ok" her rescuer, Obviously a girl told her "I got you, you won't fall"


	8. Chapter 8

Lex rolled over in bed to feel for Zandra so that he could pull her on top of him. Instead of the usual giggle he got when he acted in this way, he received a slap on his hand and she moved out of his reach.

"Zan baby" Lex cooed pushing himself up slightly, he patted the area she had just vacated,

"NO" Zandra told him angrily; she crossed over to the mirror and began to comb her hair.

"B-a-beee" He called, pleading to her.

"No, you do not deserve to be…treated in that way after the way you acted" Zandra said forcefully.

Lex flopped back into her bed, groaning. "You sound like Bossy boots"

"You deserved what Amber said to you last night" Zandra told him, removing her night dress; she moved over to her rack of clothes and pulled out a frilly black and pink top. She carefully positioned the shoulder of the top and pulled on a pair of Bright pink leggings before placing a skirt which matched the top on. She turned to Lex who had been watching her intently. "Enjoy the show?"

"Come on babe" Lex begged, he shifted in the bed, he was get annoyed now, he wanted it and the girl was acting out, he hadn't expected this, he'd thought she would be easy.

"No, _babe" _Zandra told him. "Now if you're that desperate go self service," she nodded at the bulge under the bed sheets "And please don't make a mess on my sheets" She turned and began to apply her tinted moisturiser.

"You can't talk to me like that" Lex hissed angrily.

Zandra smiled innocently at him and marched over to where his trousers lay in a heap on the floor. She scooped them up and threw them at him. "Yes I can, now get out of my room, your messing it up" She smiled sweetly at him again. Lex growled incoherently and climbed out of the bed. He pulled on his trousers and shoved his sock less feet into his boots. "Oh and Lex" Zandra called to him as he made to leave "Don't expect to be 'treated' for a little while, not until you apologise to the kids" Lex stared at her as if she was crazy and stormed out of the room, kicking over Zandra's shoe rack as his did, and sending her multitude of shoes all over the floor.

------

Trudy sat down in the toy store, she'd been walking Aine around, trying to calm her, the little girl wouldn't settle and with Bray like a bull in a china shop it was difficult to settle her at home. She reached up and pulled down a plastic toy that hung on a string, something used for putting on a pram, and distract a baby. She hung it above Aine, her little girl reaching up to reach the brightly colour toy.

"I did the right thing, didn't I? choosing Bray, he's a good Dad isn't he?" Aine gurgled and waved her hand at the toy. "You wouldn't want another Daddy would you?" She sighed and looked around the empty toy store, many of the toys for older kids had been taken, she'd even seen Jack take a Bop it toy. Most of the stuff on the shelves was things like Dolls, and Cuddly toys, things without moving parts, board games, or baby toys, good for her, at least she had things to distract her fractious baby girl with. "I chose right didn't I, I made the right decision, its better Bray then…" she stopped and smiled down at her little girl "Of course it's better with you daddy, mummy's having a moment. Mummy and Daddy are going to be together forever, you, me and Daddy and maybe a little brother or sister or two. You'd like that wouldn't you, having people to play with, having brothers and sisters. We could be a proper family, just us, and no one else" She slowly rose up from her seat and made her way over to window. The toy store was in the corner of the mall on the top floor which was a reason it had window, only about four other shops had windows which meant the mall was very dark. Outside the smoke from nearby fires rose into the grey sky, Rubbish and broken glass were strewn everywhere. The world was broken and here she was making plans for the future, what future. She looked back down at her daughter.

"Mummy loves Daddy, but even more then that mummy loves you, she will always love you more then daddy, and no matter what, whatever or whoever comes into our lives I'll always be there for you" She blinked back her tears and kissed her daughter. The little girl was happy now, burbling away to herself. "Anyway lets go see if we can cheer up your daddy, he's being a big Grumpy old man, Yes he is" she tickled Aine's stomach "Yes he is, your Daddy is a grumpy old man"

-----

Amber watched the Tribe somewhat concerned as everyone silently ate their lunch. The Tribe was never silent, especially at meal times; everyone was always fighting over who got he largest portion, or how sick of beans they were, But today nothing. Lex and Zandra were sitting as far away as possible from each other. Trudy sat silently next to a simmering Bray, while the kids sat subdued next to Salene. The Tribe was falling apart; Cloe's disappearance was having greater repercussions that even she had thought possible.

There was a load sound of barking and screaming, which caused many people to drop their forks in shock. Dal and Jack looked at each other in shock.

"It worked" Jack whispered surprised,

"That's the alarm" Dal told everyone, and he, Jack and Bray took off down the steps to investigate.

As they reached the sewer exit they were greeted with the shocked figure of Cloe.

"Cloe?" Dal whispered surprised, he hadn't expected to see the young girl again.

Cloe smiled tiredly at him. "Got lost, I couldn't find Bluebell" she looked sadly at the floor.

The alarm stopped and Bray looked annoyed at Jack. "That's all it does, 2 minutes of noise"

"Oh no, it works, She's turning it off" Cloe blurted protecting the red haired boy's honour.

"SHE?" The three boys queried, there was a clatter of footsteps as Patsy bounded into sight.

"CLOE" she screamed happily running to her friend and hugging her tightly. Patsy was followed by her brother and the older girls, all smiling happily at her.

"Cloe?" Bray called trying to get her attention "Who do you mean she?"

"Oh" Cloe said breaking away from Patsy. She turned into the bright green door, and returned down to the sewers. The Tribe looked at each other nervously as the door reopened and Cloe re-emerged "She rescued me, stopped me from going over a cliff" A tall Chinese girl followed her out of the door, her yellow sunglasses reflecting the light from the fairy lights over head. "Everyone, this is Tai San"


	9. Chapter 9

Morning broke in the mall with the typical rowdiness that accompanied 14 teenagers and food. Everyone was busily shoving their lukewarm food into their mouths, chatting mouths full. It was as if nothing had changed, except now the Tribe had a new member, the Tall Chinese girl who sat on the table with the children daintily spooning the slop that pretended to be food into her mouth. The girls had grouped together on a table and were all staring at her feeling put out of place. The new girl was tall, beautiful, athletic and above all seemed to attract everyone to her, the children had flocked to her because she had brought Cloe back and the boys had flocked to her, because well what boy wouldn't even, Jack and Dal were staring at her open mouthed, all except for Sasha who was sitting by himself staring hopefully at Amber. He smiled at her, causing her to smile back, something which didn't go unnoticed by the three girls who sat around her.

"Well" Amber called standing up still smiling at Sasha "Seeing as we have a new member, there needed to be a rejig of the rota, which I did last night, so check it to see if you have a change in duties." She moved over to the wall to indicate she had redone the rota "Also, Tai San I don't know if you want to pick a room, I don't expect you to stay in with the kids"

Tai San nodded to her and slowly rose from her chair, an action which was copied by the little ones and most of the boys.

"What a charming girl" Amber said half heartedly noticing look on Zandra's face as Lex bounded down the steps after the new girl "So talkative"

-----

Zandra stomped down into the menswear store that Ryan now shared with Lex. Ryan sat on the red sofa they had used the first night reading a magazine. Zandra moved over and sat down heavily.

"You didn't fancy helping then?" Zandra asked him childishly.

"Helping? What with?" Ryan asked simply putting down his magazine and looking at her curiously

"With Tai San" Zandra told him in affected manner.

"Why would I want to help Tai San?" Ryan asked her genuinely confused.

"Oh come on Ryan she's all.." she waved her hands to prove her point "I mean Lex was practically drooling this morning, all I told him to do was be a bit more considerate, it's just I didn't expect him to be so mad at me."

"He just likes winding people up" Ryan told her diplomatically "He's just messing; he'll come back when he's ready.

-----

Lex threw down the mattress onto the floor in the pharmacy store and turned.

"There you go" He told the new girl, she inclined her head in way of thanks and moved over to the counter where she had placed her bag. The coat she had been wearing when she first arrived seemed to be her duvet as she now spread it silently over the mattress. Lex moved over to the counter and picked up a bunch of jewellery all made of some sort of gem stone.

"You like stones huh?"

"They all have a meaning, a purpose, I think they show beauty and help restore calm. Each stone helps with a different mood, though at the moment the one I am wearing" she lifted her purple necklace from her chest "This one is my birth stone"

"It's beautiful, much like it's owner" Lex smarmed, Tai San raised her eyebrows.

"You think I'm beautiful?" She cooed at him. Lex moved up beside her so he could stare lecherously at her breasts.

"Stunning" he whispered.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, every girl has a different Adonis, Every man a different Aphrodite." Tai San told him moving up close to him, as if threatening to kiss him.

"Right" Lex whispered barely listening to the words that were coming out of her lips.

"An Adonis is a champion, a warrior among men" Tai San whispered seductively "Are you a warrior Lex?"

"You better believe it baby" Lex whispered back. Tai San smiled and raised her face so that it looked as though she would kiss him. She gently fingered a belt buckle on her trousers and stared deeply into his eyes.

"I'm not looking for a warrior I'm looking for a gentleman" She smiled and moved out of his air space, leaving Lex hanging in the air, waiting for the kiss that would never come. "If you'll excuse me Lex, I need to sort my room out"

----

Amber looked up at the sound of a knock at her door. She smiled, Sasha stood there holding a single plastic rose and his flute.

"Come in" She said smiling at him,

Sasha held out the rose "There were no real ones, um, I was going to serenade you from the balcony, but you don't have one, so I'll serenade you from your chair" he smiled and sat on the wooden seat that Amber kept by her door. He smiled briefly at her, before raising the metal instrument to his lips. Amber sat upright on her bed as he began to play the notes.

Upon finishing his tune, he lowered the instrument to his lap.

"That was beautiful" Amber told him

"I'm glad you liked it, I wasn't sure if you would, it's taken me the best part of two weeks to get it perfect, normally music just flows but this time I gues…" Sasha told her slowly turning the silver cylinder in his hand.

"You wrote that for me?" Amber whispered in Awe, Sasha nodded "That is most amazing thing anyone has every done for me" Amber told him, gently she slid off her bed and leant forward kissing the young musician on the lips. They broke apart and stared at each other intently, Sasha's eyes diverted to the floor and he frowned.

"You'll get cold feet" he told her noticing her are feet against the grimy floor, "Nothing worse then cold feet" He bent forward so that he could pick her up and carefully placed her on the bed. They stared at each other for several more moments before Amber reached forward and pushed her hands through Sasha's thick blonde hair. He bent forward locking lips with her and together they were locked in passion.

"Oh my god I'm sorry" A voice came from the doorway; they broke apart and stared at the intruder. Trudy stood in the doorway looking slightly shocked "I'm sorry, I'll –um see you-um tomorrow" she turned and scurried out.

Amber sighed, the moment gone. "The music was lovely Sasha, I'll see you tomorrow"

Sasha nodded in understanding, rising off her bed and collecting his flute. "Whenever you're ready" he told her simply turning and waling from the room into the centre of the mall.


	10. Chapter 10

Amber pounded into the gloomy café, it was night and she'd spent all day in a foul mood, the interruption of her and Sasha had affected her deeply, not least in the fact that Sasha seemed to be avoiding her. There was a faint scream as a figure in the gloom jumped.

"Amber you scared me" Trudy whispered stepping out from the shadows, a collection of baby paraphernalia in her arms.

"Least I'm not interrupting anything" Amber spat at her

"I'm so sorry about that, I needed to ask you something, I didn't think…" Trudy tried to apologise

"That's right you didn't think" Amber spat at her kicking a seat out of her way

"I'm sorry" Trudy told her truthfully.

"You gallivant around with no thought for anyone else, and you can't even control Bray" Amber hissed, she was on a roll now, she'd been angry for weeks, and Trudy was about to get the brunt of it

"It's not my job to control Bray" Trudy bleated

"Of course it's your job, he's your partner, the father of your child" Trudy burst into tears and placed the baby stuff on the table,

Amber's face contracted into a frown "Don't start, I won't fall for that"

"You don't understand. Don't ever use Aine to get at Bray" She straightened up and collected the toys and began walking away. Amber frowned she was not finished with her rant and now her curiosity was spiked by Trudy's cryptic comment. She followed the girl into her room. Trudy looked alarmed at her. Amber her mouth to speak, but Trudy raised her finger to her lips, nodding at Aine in the cot beside her and Bray slumped on the bed. Amber closed her mouth and inclined it showing she wanted to speak to her; she turned and stomped from the room.

-----

Amber sat on the steps waiting for the young mother, it had taken her a further 15 minutes for her to put away her daughter's things, but finally she emerged from her darkened room.

"Why Don't I understand?" Amber asked her before she'd even had a chance to sit down.

Trudy hovered slightly not really wanting to sit on the floor "You just wouldn't, it's complicated"

"Enlighten me" Amber ordered her,

Trudy sighed and sank slowly onto the concrete step. She looked around for several minutes checking that they were the only ones awake, the only ones listening.

"It's complicated, just don't ever use Bray to get at Aine or vice versa, I don't want them to find out the truth"

Amber frowned Trudy's cryptic words were confusing and frustrating her even more "Truth?"

Trudy sighed heavily "Bray isn't Aine's father, he thinks is but he isn't"

Amber's mouth dropped, whatever she had been expecting she had not expected the words that the young mother had just told her "But, she looks like members of his family, she looks like him, how can it not be Bray's daughter?"

"It's complicated" Trudy said making to get up

"You can't go now. You can't leave tell me, you've told me this, tell me the whole story and I mean the whole story" Amber was in awe and she wasn't about to miss out on the details.

Trudy sighed and checked around the mall again "We'd known each other ages before we started going out, Bray was older. When we started going out it was at the beginning when it was only a few people getting sick. Bray's dad was a reporter, he got sole interview with the medical examiner when they declared it an epidemic, and the next week he got sick. Bray played good son, but he ignored me, he helped out with his mum, visited his dad. There was a dance at school, and he said he didn't want to leave his mum on her own. I was mad, we argued, so I took Martin, his younger brother, I knew Martin liked me and I wanted to rub salt in the wound. Everything was going fine until Bray arrived with Ebony"

"Ebony the loco Queen?" Amber interrupted;

Trudy nodded and continued with her story, "I was so mad at him, I stormed out of the dance and I did the worst thing, I let Martin take me home, and we did, you know, I wanted to hurt Bray so much. After we did it and Martin had fallen asleep, I left, it was so late, I was outside and I'd just finished putting my coat on when Bray arrived. He told me that he'd gone with Ebony, he'd almost done it to make me feel bad, and I lied I said we almost did the same thing, me and Martin. He laughed we talked a bit and we got back together. 2 weeks later his dad died and his mum got sick. Bray dealt with his grief by sleeping with me, Martin dealt with his grief a different way. When I found out I knew it had to be Martin the doctor told me the conception date would have to have been the dance night, I should have had my period the week I slept with Bray."

"SO what happened to Martin? Why didn't he come with you guys" Amber asked, she was totally in awe of the young mother now, completely sucked in by her story.

Trudy bit her lip and glanced up towards her room, she could hear the Aine had woken up and was whimpering slightly.

"Martin coped with his grief a different, way, the day after I found out about the baby, their mum died. I made Bray's day by telling him. Martin decided to destroy the school start a riot and get with Ebony"

"Ebony? Martin got with Ebony? But Ebony is with Zoot, the leader of the locos" Amber interrupted her confused.

Trudy rose from the step her daughter's wails becoming quiet loud, She slowly walked up the steps before turning to the blonde leader. "Martin turned into Zoot. Aine's father is the leader of the Locos"

Amber's mouth dropped open in shock, she watched the purple haired girl leave with mixture of horror and shock. She had just been given information that could destroy the group, not only from within but from the outside, if their leader found out there was no telling what he could do.

----

Sasha woke with a start he could hear crying, turning his head towards the door he could make out a figure standing in the doorway, waking himself up more he realised it was Amber.

"Amber?" he whispered gently raising from his bed, he had no idea why the strong leader was sobbing.

"I'm sorry" She whispered.

"For what?" Sasha asked her gently

"Last night" She whispered.

"It's ok, these things happen" Sasha comforted her

"But I want this thing to happen" She looked at him her eyes full of tears. Sasha tilted his head to the left and slowly a smile spread onto his lips. Amber leant forward and kissed him. When they broke apart she smiled and took a step back, pulling her pyjama top over her head. Sash smiled at her and led her properly into his room, closing the curtain he used as a door so that they could get some privacy.


	11. Chapter 11

A lot can happen in a three week period especially in a mall full of teenagers. Amber and Sasha's secret could not stay secret for long, especially after Patsy busted them on the following morning. Though the couple themselves hadn't admitted it, many of the Tribe knew and as Lex had observed "the chick just needed a good seeing to" though many of the tribe members thought he seemed a bit sad that he had not been given that honour. Amber had mellowed following her coupling with the young musician, so much so that she'd nearly caused Dal to choke by appearing one morning to breakfast wearing a skirt, a look which she vowed never to repeat after the teasing she received.

She had though continually blanked Trudy, as if trying to pretend the girl wasn't there. No one other then the girl herself seemed to notice, but she wasn't going to make a fuss about it she had too much to lose.

Breakfast dawned in the mall with the usual complaints about food, followed by Bray's usual spat with Lex over the later being too chicken to go out and hunt for food. No one seemed to notice the normally exuberant Zandra's meek arrival or that she barely ate a single thing, least of all her supposed boyfriend, she and Lex had reunited two weeks previously after Lex had decided he needed some action.

"Cheer up" Ryan whispered to her, sliding her and extra piece of blackened bread. Zandra smiled weakly at him and diverted her gaze over to Amber and Sasha who sat happily talking together, as if no one else was in the room. "It's not that bad" Ryan whispered trying to make the normally chirpy girl smile. He was worried she didn't even look like the Zan he knew, her hair wasn't perfect, and her outfit seemed strangely uncoordinated.

"Everything that's bad" Zandra said miserably she pushed away Ryan's blackened offering and diverted her eyes to Lex who was busy eyeing up Tai San. Tai San had appeared this morning and managed to make many of the boys stare at her. She'd changed from her purple top and strange copper leg warmers to a more provocative outfit. The mint green dress was barely long enough to be considered decent and the bodice was incredibly tight the sheer gold leggings she wore underneath the dress did nothing to hide anything but no one seemed to be complaining. Her hair was more elaborately style, twisted into a series of three coils rather then just brought back from her face in a half ponytail and now had a faint blue green hue to it. Her new style had also meant that the two younger girls had flocked to her, and asked her to do their hair something that they usually asked Zandra for. Ryan smiled sheepishly at her.

"Don't worry about it everyone has off days, you'll be right as rain in the morning" Zandra turned to him angrily.

"Shut up" she hissed angrily at him, Ryan looked at her taken aback. Zandra got up from her seat and stormed out of the café, bumping Lex's chair in the process.

Amber broke out of her love induced trance long enough to put her leader hat on "Don't you think you better go after her"

Lex made some grunting noises in protest but did as she asked walking away from the café so that Tai San's adoring following shrunk to four.

------

"What?" Lex said not really interested as he walked into the bedroom. Zandra was standing in front of the mirror staring intently at her reflection. In her hand she was holding a shoe. Angrily she turned round and threw it at Lex. Lex ducked in time but turned around to look at the shoe which earned him another shoe that hit him in the back of the head. He turned and stared at Zandra as if she was crazy. "What!"

"Keep staring at her, you're such a loser" Zandra screamed at him picking up a pair of his trousers and lobbing them roughly at him

"If I'm such a loser, why do you care that I'm looking" Lex spat at her. It occurred to him that his girlfriend was only throwing his belongings, leaving her's in their correct and proper position.

Zandra's response was for him was to throw his prized pair of boots at him. "I DON'T CARE. IF YOU LIKE HER SO MUCH GO MESS UP HER ROOM"

"FINE" Lex bellowed scooping up his strewn possessions

"FINE" Zandra bellowed back at him throwing his hairbrush at the door. Lex turned and marched away from the door, towards the café were the occupants of the mall had all stopped eating and turned to watch the show.

"Trouble Lex" Jack called a smirk appearing on his face. Lex growled his response and stomped down the steps towards his old bedroom that he had shared with Ryan.

The café remained silent as they listened to each of the split couple shouting at no one in their own room. After a while the girls turned to stare pointedly at the seemingly oblivious Tai San.

----

Instead of doing the night duty as he was supposed to, Lex, had instead made his way up to the service area and had began beating boxes with a stick, pretending that the boxes were people who had wronged him in his life.

"Practising how to be a champion?" A female voice called to him from out of the shadows.

Lex turned towards the voice knowing full well who it belonged to "What do you want?" He wasn't in the mood to be teased or taunted. Tai San stepped forward into his lamp light; she had changed from her dress and was now wearing a bottle green nightgown.

"I was looking for a warrior" She told him.

"Thought you went after gentlemen" Lex hissed, he turned and spun beating a box near her.

Tai San stared unblinkingly at the overturned box before stepping a little bit closer to the angry boy, carefully she loosened the knot on her robe and slid it down her shoulders a few inches to reveal that they were bare and she was not wearing anything beneath her robe. "It's a women's prerogative to change her mind" Lex looked at her a happy smirk playing on his lips.

"Good thing" He whispered, letting his stick fall to the ground loudly. Tai San stepped up close to him and let her robe fall softly to the ground.

"Ready to be my champion Lex?" She whispered to him.

"Oh Yeah" Lex told her, placing his hand on the base of her bare back. He leant forward locking lips with her passionately. Tai San reciprocated by gripping hold of Lex's strong shoulders and pulling her legs up so that she was sitting on him. She broke apart from his kiss and smiled seductively at him.

"I found my Adonis"


End file.
